"'The Prince's Diary' by Renee Ting is a picturebook
retelling of the classic Cinderella tale â from the Prince's point of view! "Dear
Diary, I have fallen in love with the most beautiful girl, but I don't even
know her name!" the prince writes, one lovelorn day. He must devise a way
to search the land for his one true love. The Prince's Diary lets the reader
know what the prince was really thinking when he met
Cinderella's stepsisters, and offers a "behind-the-scenes" twist on a timeless
fairytale. Each two-page spread features an exuberant color illustration
by Elizabeth O. Dulemba on the left and the prince's story on the right.
The Prince's Diary is a charming fable especially recommended for young
readers on the verge of making the transition from picture books to chapter
books." â LookSmart EDUCATION | Knowledge for Parents

"What was Cinderella's handsome prince
doing while his future lady was toiling away at her work and wishing for
a way to the ball? The Prince's Diary, a sweet new picture book from Renee
Ting and Elizabeth O. Dulemba, answers that question. The book gives a charming
and humorous flip side to the famous fairy tale, showing the prince bored
stiff by his mother's marriage schemes and by all the young lovelies who
would like to be his bride. What would he like to do instead? He wants to
visit the whistling, rag-bedecked girl he keeps spotting.. He doesn't know
her name, but he writes in his diary, "I think I'll call her Cinderella."
Does the book take some liberties with the fairy tale? Definitely. There is a ball, a glass slipper, a prince, and a toiling girl named Cinderella (I mean Cynthia), but that's about it. Which is absolutely fine: folk tales are intrinsically changeable. The famous Disney film took incredible liberties with the story: the Grimm's collected tale "Ashenputtel" contained no fairy godmother at all, but a magic tree (which hinted at the ghostly existence of Cinderella's dead mother) that shook down magical dresses from its enchanted leaves.
Although the step-mother's evil intentions towards Cinderella are creepily palpable in the Disney version of the story, the film actually sapped the original tale of some of its darker elements (in the original tale, the step-sisters don't just get their hopes dashed, they get their feet bloodied and their eyes pecked out). The Prince's Diary goes a step further in lightening the story and gives us a cheery, unflappable Miss, who although apparently barred from the ball by her step-mother (and who doesn't make a gown-decked appearance at all), never lets her spirits droop and who never stops smiling.
Smile or no smile, the big question we must
ask any version of the famous tale is this: does Cindy get her man? If a
horse ride, shared blackberry scones, and furious step-relations are any
indication, then this "Cinderella" hints at a happy ending worthy of all
its predecessors. Elizabeth Dulemba's comical, perky drawings and Renee Ting's
sweet text make this picture book a wonderful addition to the Cinderella
tradition."
â Kathryn Atwood of the
BookPleasures.com and
Midwest Book Review

"Blackberry scones?
Cinderella (her real name was Cynthia) and the prince had the love of blackberry scones in common. Both also loved horse-back riding.
But she didn't lose a glass slipper. He didn't search for the slipper's owner to find the girl of his dreams.
Much of what we learned from the famous fairy
tale were all derived from misunderstandings, according to 'The Prince's
Diary,' a new take on the story, written by Renee Ting, illustrated
by Elizabeth O. Dulemba and published by Shen's Books.
It's always best to get the inside story direct
from the 'horse's mouth.' The legend will remain the romantic favorite,
no doubt, but you'll gain satisfaction and delight by peeking into the, until
now, lost diary of the man who fell in love with a hard-working girl,
who
wasn't well treated by her step-mother and two step-sisters.
Many children will be delighted to have read or read this twist on the familiar fairy tale.
Adults like to read new variations on legends
that have become a fabric of their imagination, too."
â John Scott Cooper, The Waycross Journal-Herald

Everyone knows the story of Cinderella and her Prince Charming. In Renee Ting's The Prince's Diary, the classic fairy tale is told through diary entries and from the perspective of Prince Stephen.
In The Prince's Diary, the young Prince Stephen has fallen in love with a beautiful girl. But he doesn't know her name, so he calls her Cinderella.
The handsome prince's days are spent working on boring kingdom business. His free time is a series of meetings, arranged by his mother, with women who might become his wife. But what Prince Stephen wants to do is meet his Cinderella.
The Prince's Diary gives us the "true" story of what the Prince thinks about the stepsisters, what really happened at the gala ball--and the truth about the glass slipper is finally revealed.
The illustrations are inviting, whimsical, charming and humorous and will appeal to children. The story is a fun, quirky and new take on the traditional story of Cinderella. Children from age 5 to 9, as well as adults will enjoy the story of how "happily ever after" actually happened.
Armchair Interviews says: If you want a change from the familiar, The Prince's Diary is a good choice.
â Andrea Sisco, Armchair Reviews

We've all heard Cinderella's version of her "happily ever after" story, but what about her Prince? This delightful book gives us his version of events, and provides a fresh perspective on a well known tale. The diary format allows us to get inside the Prince's head as his mother tries to find the perfect match to be his wife. Kids will love the accident prone Prince, while parent should find the new point of view a refreshing change of pace.
â Andrew W. Johns, Alexandria, Virginia

The Prince is the character from the Cinderella tale, retelling this classic from an unusual perspective. On the date June 19 in his diary, the Prince writes, "I saw Cinderella again today! I was out inspecting a section of broken fence when she came into view...carrying a basket of wet clothes that she hung out to dry." The story follows the traditional story line, but seems fresh and embellished in being told once again from this novel perspective.
â Henry Berry, Southport, Connecticut

Watch THE PRINCE'S DIARY's progress as it travels the world through BookCrossing.com.